Just the Two of Us
by LoverGurrl411
Summary: A slightly different and deeper look into the dinner in 2x07 "Surface Tension." Jason/Aria. "Silence reined supreme for them in that instant, but Aria didn't shuffle her feet and Jason was content to just stand there and watch her watch everyone else." OneShot.


Disclaimer – I own nothing, but ooooh, don't I wish I did!

A.N. – I was re-watching my favorite Jason and Aria moments, and I couldn't get over that dinner in 2x07. I felt like that episode had so much room for more Aria/Jason development, and it kinda fell flat for me. Anywho, hope everyone enjoys! :)

Just the Two of Us

LoverGurrl411

/I think I might've inhaled you. I could feel you behind my eyes.

You've gotten into my bloodstream. I could feel you floating in me/

-Bloodstream, Stateless

Aria looked at Ezra. She truly looked at him and she realized that he was trying so hard to be what both her parents thought he was and what she wanted him to be.

Jason stood at the corner of the room, participating in the conversation, and it was all him. He had no one to act for. He had no expectations to meet and the thought of being that way liberated Aria in a way that made her head feel dizzy for a moment.

"Penny for your thoughts?" Jason's voice interrupted her thoughts and she hadn't realized when he had moved towards her.

"I'll sell them for a dollar" Aria quipped. She wanted to be fifteen again and carefree.

"The band Perry, nice." Jason responded as he leaned back against the wall. Aria felt uneasy because she knew she couldn't trust him but she wanted to so badly. She wanted to feel the easiness she used to feel around him when she would sneak out to the lake at night and find him there humming that mariachi song from the movie Desperado.

"This is 2011. Lauren Alaina, studio version because the live version failed majoorrrly" Aria said with one of those quirky looks that made Jason smile and made her feel like the times when there was no "A". Silence reined supreme for them in that instant, but Aria didn't shuffle her feet and Jason was content to just stand there and watch her watch everyone else.

Somehow the conversation between the men got to some type of sport that Aria wouldn't be able to recall for the life of her when she thinks back on that moment. What she would remember is how passionate Jason sounded as he spoke about it. How the light in his eyes inspired her to live life on the edge. She would remember how connected she felt to him as opposed to Ezra who just sounded like her father and his other colleague. Ezra sounded old. Like life had passed him by and oh yea – that was some good ol' days.

Jason finished speaking and he looked up at Aria and she couldn't smile at him. She couldn't smile because tears clouded her eyes and she didn't know why. Ezra watched her, and she knew it looked weird, but she couldn't stop looking at Jason and feeling as if life had robbed them both. Allison had robbed them their life, and she _hated _Allison with a fierceness that could only be likened to lioness with her cub. A lion for his pride land.

The door bell rang and Jason looked away from Aria and she blinked back the emotion that she knew was open for anyone to see. Ezra was here. Ezra was watching. Ezra inspired her more than Jason ever would. These were the things she kept telling herself so she wouldn't cross a line in her head.

Jason always seemed to know when things were brewing. He always seemed to know when she was reaching an epiphany…and maybe it was a gift or because of all those late nights talking about nothing and everything.

"I'll get it." Aria said but doubted anyone cared. She just needed a reason to get out of that room and regroup. Too bad things weren't that easy. Turned out that Mike had broken into another house and this time it hadn't been a forgiving victim like Jason. He'd been caught and now her parents had to go and pick him up.

The words rushed over Aria like water over hands, smooth but with an abstract feeling that one cannot truly believe that it's ones hand feeling that sensation. Aria was in shock. He had promised. Mike had promised never to do it again.

Her eyes ran to Jason's and held his. Her parents left and spoke to her but she didn't hear a word or acknowledge their absence. Jason was here. Jason was looking at her, trying to figure her out.

Mike had broken her heart and she knew deep down it was all her fault. All her drama had taken the spotlight from Mike and somewhere down the line no one had bothered to notice that it hadn't been returned to him. Mike had been left in the shadow where he could do as he pleased, and it had ruined him. He was no longer the innocent boy who she would comfort and bring ice-cream to cheer him up.

"No." Jason spoke looking directly into her eyes and she could feel her heart constricting tightly. Yes, it was all her fault. She ruined him. "Don't do it to yourself because it's not true."

"Yes–" Aria started to speak but Jason cut her off.

"No" he repeated and he spoke the words so firmly that it penetrated through her haze of guilt.

Aria sighed and tried to convey gratitude through her eyes, but she's not sure she succeeded, but Jason understood anyway. He always did. Because he knew her. He knew the girl who had pink hair, and though Aria was more fashionable now, she was still that same girl underneath it all.

Neither remembered that Ezra was still in the room. Neither noticed the glare in Ezra's eyes or the intensity of his jealousy that was blooming right before them.

Even if Aria had noticed, she wouldn't have cared because she felt safe. Murderer – is what Jason might be. But she remembered how he came to her rescue after the horror fashion show and she remembered how he used to sing in the night to the wind and her. She remembered that he was her knight in dusty armor…and she felt safe even if she shouldn't have. She remembered the _him_ that was still inside of his chest, that was still at Jason's core, even if no one else bothered to remember.

And she knew that they would be alright. As long as Jason stayed the same…as long as she could cling to half cropped fantasies of his kisses in the shower, and long chats with Ezra by cake…as long as she could have the best of both worlds, she knew everything would be just fine.

Soooo, like it? Hate it? Let me know and Review! :D


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